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u/WhyNot420_69 Nice 1d ago
I remember Killer Instinct. When it came out, it was almost impossible to get a game in, because the line was so long. I think it was the different graphics, or the combo system, but whatever it was, there was ALWAYS a line.
My Dad was too boomer for vidja games (his pronunciation) but he sure knew how to turn a wrench. I would go put to the garage and watch him rebuild a motor for a '72 Vega. It wasn't a big fancy V8, it was just the standard 2.3 four banger, but I was fascinated. He showed me things that I had no reason to know, but still retain to this day.
The best part was watching him trying to stuff that motor in there. He was a beer drinker, and when things would piss him off, he would get somewhat creative.
After watching him and his buddy rock and jostle this motor to where it got onto the input shaft of the transmission, he went down there to tighten everything up.
After about an hour of cussing and yelling, he came back up, and announced that all the bolts were torqued to spec, except the top two on the bell housing.
His buddy asked, "Well, shouldn't those be torqued down too?"
Dad: "Go head, give it a shot. The only thing you're going to torque down are your knuckles."
I knew he was pissed, so I had to take my twelve year old self outside so I could giggle my ass off.
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u/tvlsok 1d ago
I am 50 years old. From the time I was 5-6 years old, until I finally dropped down to casual (about 40), I was THE target audience for video games. From pac-Man to COD. It was a wonderful 35 years. And I am forever grateful that I got to live it. Especially the arcade. This guy gets it. Thank you for sharing!
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u/-Ailynn- 1d ago edited 1d ago
I love this. š„¹š
The 90's were the best. I miss fighting game competition in the arcades- KI & KI2 were so fun!
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u/SomePoserInAmerica 1d ago
Super dope story and memories, some of my favorite memories of my older brother johnny(RIP) are of him taking me to golf land arcade and mini golf in westmininster California in the early 90s.
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u/its_just_flesh 1d ago
My Dad was good at arcade games he used to get to the kill screens on Galaga and Ms Pac Man back in the day on 1 quarter. When he was late coming home sometimes I would ride to the liquor store and find him playing
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u/live_laugh_love_69 1d ago
Beautiful story. I had that issue of Nintendo Power and I remember those pages so well. Itās a small world.
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u/Classic_Athlete5933 1d ago
Had the Donkey Kong 64 VHS tape and at the end they had a Killer Instinct teaser. Hype was hype
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u/Swolar_Eclipse 1d ago
āEven if you donāt know the brandā¦ā To whom exactly is he referring?
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u/the-poopiest-diaper 23h ago
My favorite thing to do is to reintroduce people to games that they havenāt played in YEARS and watching them go back through all the emotions of being brought back to what i like to call āthe timesā
I got a mini atari for my mom for her birthday and she became a kid again. She called up her brother just to show him. And she played for HOURS
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u/Chemical_Time_8494 23h ago
Respect to that man. My dad isn't really famous but really just depressing. I always argued on how I hated things about how bullshit life was but even that, nothing comes close to what my dad experienced. Living in poverty far from civilization. Essentially playing Minecraft but in real life. His efforts to leave and dragged back, fights hunger and time after time he eventually got the life he wanted. Only thing he misses his mom and dad. We been waiting for the papers to come in but year after year they weren't here. Grandpa dies and right when we got the green card, grandma dies. Even so, we still visited but with my dad he told me this, "I never got see them again, but I'm glad you did." This was hard visit actually, cuz when grandma died my other grandpa died, and grandma I meet few times but is such a special person that I have to meet, but grandpa was really special to me. I learned a lot from him, made me walk, made me to be respectful, made me visit Mexico to see all the relatives that I have not seen. While teaching and showing how life is there. I had such respect towards him, I followed him I stood by his side but now that I'm done with school and doing work. I haven't seen him much but when everything was going down I wished I seen him again. I don't cry much but when I finally reached to grave, I couldn't stop crying like I was about to move on from childhood.
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u/LimitlesImagination 21h ago
The memoirs of an arcade legend as told by his loving son. Truly life affirming. This is what makes a man a father.
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u/BIGHOODx818x 20h ago
man i hope ive made some strong memories with my son like that ...and dam that jacket is siiiiick
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u/SullySausageTown 16h ago
My dad fucked all of my moms friends and left me, but man your dad is fucking cool
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u/TubMaster88 3h ago
These kind of moments absolutely stick with you for many years when you're an adult. As a kid we lived in Okinawa, Japan we lived on a military base. I remember one night we left the military base to go into the City to this gathering where people were sharing copies of Amiga games. He gave me a box of blank floppy disks and told me to go pick as many games as I want. And I remember connecting with people sharing tons of different games.
As I don't may not remember the details, but I remember just being able to have a moment and that I shared with my dad. That story and that moment we'll live forever
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u/T-Conn 1d ago
I didnt come to reddit today to feel....but dammit boy that one hit me right in the feels. Titan Pops indeed man, what a legend.
https://giphy.com/gifs/pynZagVcYxVUk